Confusion
by Netherlandsforever
Summary: Ron tells Hermione something on their last day at Hogwarts. Now, seven years later, they meet again and....well, it's Ron and Hermione, what did you expect? Complete confusion. Tear-jerker and fluff.
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1

The sun was bright, that afternoon in June, and the weather was amazingly warm for the northern part of the UK. Harry and the rest of the Gryffindor team was at practice, Ron and Hermione were sitting by the lake, sitting under a nice tree, trying to enjoy the last of their days at Hogwarts until they would leave it forever. 

This thought scared Hermione, more than she ever thought it would. Leaving Hogwarts was always supposed to open doors for her, but now it seemed as if she was just fiddling with the knobs. What was she supposed to do?? Become dentists like her parents? 

"I don't think so," she mumbled.

"What Hermione?" asked Ron, his tall figure sprawled across the grass, his hair, as red as ever, turned golden when the sun hit it at exactly the right spot. 

" Nothing Ron," she replied, looking at him sadly. God! She was going to miss him. He was going off to become an Auror; he had never really gotten over the fantasy that Moody had put in his head. Aurors had to go away for training for one year, where they would see nobody except the other Aurors during that time.

And Harry, as expected, was going off to play for England, touring the world, and busy at practices. They'd be on the opposite sides of the world, and Hermione would be settling into her small flat, in London near Diagon Alley, with no idea what to do or where to go. Alone.

Alone. She hated that more than everything else that was wrong. Being best friends with somebody for seven years did not make it easy to leave them.

"Are you sure you won't come to Auror training with me Hermione?" asked Ron.

" You know I can't be an Auror, and besides, I don't really want to."

" But how am I going to survive without you telling me what to do?" Ron teased. If Hermione had looked, she would have noticed that his blue eyes, the eyes that turned many heads in the halls, were very serious.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"Nothing. Just that I'm going to miss you, that's all," he said carefully. The tears that Hermione had been holding in for what seemed like ages finally came out. Slowly however. One small tear fell down her cheek, and another followed. She hiccuped trying not to sob and Ron looked over.

" 'Mione, what's the matter? What did I say?" 

" Nothing Ron.... But I'm going to miss you too!" …He wiped a tear away from her face and grinned.

" It's only a year. By the time I get back, you'll have fallen in love with one of your books or that-that Viktor Krum, all over again. You probably will have forgotten who I was…" This what Ron worried about. Not where he was going to go or what he was going to do, but that he would return home and Hermione wouldn't want anything to do with him. 

" Ron! You know that's not true. I never understood why you hated him so much, anyway."

"Because he took you to the ball, and danced with you, talked to you, made you pay all your attention to him, ever since he met you in that stupid library.I dunno, I guess I was just jealous…" There. He'd finally said it. He had been meaning to for 3 years now, and Harry had been bugging him everyday to do it. 

" You were jealous? Why?"she said incredulously. Being the smartest witch in the school didn't help her in this situation.

" Don't be blind Hermione!" …Ron didn't know why, but suddenly he was angry." I've been in love with you ever since I first made you cry because of Crookshanks, and it's been staring at you straight in the eye for four years now, and if you hadn't been so involved in your books, then maybe you would have noticed, that the only reason why I was 'procrastinating' was because I was too busy looking at you! Maybe if you hadn't spent so much time in the library, you would of realised how many times I tried to kill Malfoy because of what he said about you! Unfortunately, Harry held me back. But still! Maybe if you had thought of my feelings instead of those house-elves you would have realised that I went through so many pieces of SPEW parchment trying to leave a decent note in their for you! Honestly! I think you care more for Dobby than you do for me."

"Ron, please don't be angry," Hermione said. For the first time in her life, she didn't know what to say. 

" Do you really love me?" she asked.

"Always have," he said, staring at the ground.

" Oh.'

"Please, 'Mione, tell me that you love me too!" He said flopping on the ground beside her.

" I do. I do love you Ron...... but I'm not IN love with you. Please don't let this ruin us. I really do need you."

" That's what I used to think, " he said, then he turned away and walked back into the castle, leaving Hermione sitting there asking herself if she was right.

Chapter 2

It was the last day at Hogwarts, and they were getting off the train at London. Hermione felt even worse than she had before, she and Ron hadn't talken since. The graduation ceremony had been amazing, Gryffindor had won the House Cup and the Quidditch Cup, again, but she still had this pit, right in her stomach, that she couldn't get rid of.

They stepped off the train and onto the Muggle platform, where Hermione saw the taxi her parents had sent her so that she could get to her flat. She decided to break the silence.

" You guys, you have to owl all the time, and I'll send you birthday presents and packages from home, and oh, I can't wait till you get back!" she said, throwing her arms around Harry. Ron was leaving tomorrow, and Harry was staying at the Burrow until he had to go to Zambia for a game in 3 days. She was about to hug Ron too when he said, "There's my mum. Come on, Harry, we'd better go." And with that he said goodbye, turned and dragged Harry after him.  
" Goodbye Ron!" Hermione called after him. She felt sad all over, and thought that tears were going to fall again. When she got into the taxi, she told him where to go, then climbed in the back and let the tears fall. The kind old man driving smiled sadly and said, " Couldn't help but notice you back there. He loves you doesn't he?" How right can he be? Thought Hermione.

"Yes,' she whispered. They were silent for a long time and had almost reached her flat when he spoke again.

" Do you love him?" he spoke gently, almost like Harry.

" I don't think I do," she said, and the tears started again. This is silly, she thought. You are not in love with him! He's your best friend! It is not possible to be in love with your best friend! You are not in love with Ron Weasley. He pulled over to the curb and said" looks like a nice place. I hope you get settled in all right, miss. And I would think about that guy back there, I doubt there are more like him out there.It's on the house," and he drove away, with one last smile. Hermione waved goodbye, wishing that every taxi driver would be like him. I am Not in love with him, she thought once more, before walking into her flat.

That's what she thought.


	2. Seven Years Later

7 years later…

Hermione turned the key in her lock, and headed into her apartment, her arms full of packages. It was the same apartment that the taxi driver had dropped her off at, many years ago. She walked into her magically enlarged flat, and dropped the packages on the kitchen table. She started unloading her groceries, purely healthy, with no sugar whatsoever. After all, who would expect junk in the kitchen of a doctor/child of dentists?

She headed into the living room, and took off her doctor's robes, and changed into muggle clothes. Hermione was a doctor, now working at St. Mungo's, close to her home. 

Hermione hadn't moved for three reasons. One, it was close to her work, two, she was very close to Diagon Alley, and three, she was close to Ginny. 

After Hogwarts, she didn't find it as hard as she thought it would be. She hadn't become an Auror, or a teacher at Hogwarts like everyone had expected her too, but she was doing fine, and having a good time. Life was good for Hermione Granger, doctor and smartest witch in Britain.

She flopped down on the couch, and with a wave of her wand, all the candles lighted, and gave off a magical amount of light. Turning her attention to on of the bookshelves, she summoned her favorite movie, _Sense and Sensibility_.

There were three bookshelves in the living room; almost all filled with books. Her favorite Muggle books, muggle books from when she was a kid, Magical fiction, lots of books on health etc, all her old Hogwarts books, and her very own, _Arithmancy Made Easy, _which was now on the Hogwarts book list.

A few months after graduation, she had sat down to write books, but had come up with just the one. She decided, after many book interviews, signings, and being in the Daily Prophet one too many times, that she didn't want to be a writer. So she became a doctor instead. And she loved her job a lot. Maybe she would be a teacher later on in life…

With those thoughts out of her head, she put in the movie, pressed play, and settled in to watch. Unfortunately, however, one of the first lines of the movie has the word wife in it, and Hermione had to stop the movie to think again.

Wife. Ginny. Harry. Ginny Weasley. Harry Potter. Ginny Potter. Oh my God! It's only two days away!

Ginny and Harry were getting married in two days, and Hermione was going to be the maid of honor, her dress was in fact in one of the packages on the table. Ginny and Harry had become serious two years after graduation, when Ginny's crush turned into love, and Harry's "feelings" turned into actual ones. Now they were getting married, and Ginny was so happy.

It was going to be a great wedding. All their old friends would be there, Remus, and Sirius too. Hagrid would be there, and all the Weasleys too. Ones that Hermione had never met, and all the brothers. Fred and George, Percy, and Charlie, and Bill, and their families, and probably Ron. 

Uh-oh. Ron?

Seven years, she thought. Seven years ago he left the station without so much as a goodbye. Hermione hadn't seen or heard from him since. He had gone off, became an Auror and was sent all over the world, barely coming home to Britain to see his family.

He hadn't owled her, telephoned her, written a letter to her, or come to see her since. And, oh! How well Hermione knew; seven years waiting for someone to show up at your door was a long time to wait. 

She had owled him a few times, had even written an actual Muggle letter to him, after she had gotten his address from Harry. He had never replied though, and she had finally given up.

Hermione was dreading the fact that he might be there, but also hoping he would be. Hermione had grown up and had realized how much she used to have. Three years after she last saw him, Hermione realized that telling herself she didn't love Ron, wasn't going to make her from wanting him back.

Yes, she was dreading tomorrow, but she wanted to see him, to talk to him, to touch him so much.

"Oh Ron, please forgive me," she whispered.

With that, she pressed the play button and settled back into the couch with a sigh.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I can't go through with this, Hermione. You know I can't," Ginny cried.

"Ginny, listen to me. You love Harry, right?" …Ginny nodded… "And I know that he loves you. Anyone who looks at him can tell that he's in love with you. Look at how he watches you, he's completely amazed that someone as gorgeous as you loves him. Don't you realize that!?"

"I suppose so," mumbled Ginny. * Uh-oh* Ginny's pale skin had turned almost white.

" I think I'm going to faint," she said, holding onto Hermione's arm for support.

" Augh! No, no you're not!" Hermione cried, leading Ginny to a chair. Suddenly she had an idea… " Come on. We'll just take a look and you'll see how proud he looks." Hermione dragged Ginny over to the window and looked out into the backyard of The Burrow.

The sun had started to set and the fairies sitting in the trees started to glow. At the back corner, under some maples, was an arch; where Harry and Ginny would say their vows.

"Look. Look, Ginny. See how proud he looks that you're going to be his wife?" she glanced at Ginny and saw that her eyes were closed shut, " Ginny! Open your eyes! See him, see him right there? Under those trees? Standing beside Ro- Ron?" she glared at Ginny, "Is that Ron, or just some other brother with red hair?"

"Um, it's Ron," said Ginny softly.

Hermione went numb with shock. Then SHE fainted.


	3. The Wedding

Out in the garden.

"Harry?"

" Yes Ron?"

" Was that Hermione I just saw at the window?"

"Umm," Harry said, living on the safe side of things.

"Oh God. It is. What am I going to do!?" Ron cried, tugging at his hair.

" Ron! Okay, just calm down," said Harry.

" Calm down? Calm DOWN!!?? For seven years I've been trying to forget, Harry! Trying to move on! For seven years I've been trying to get over heartbreak! And even now, when I was standing here, I was thinking about her! I haven't seen or talked to her in seven years, Harry! I'm practically in love with a stranger! And all this is because I listened to your, and Dean, and Seamus' stupid advice!!" 

Harry grimaced at Ron's anger.

" She did look pretty, though," said Ron, his voice softening and glancing at the window.

" She's Ginny's maid of honour," Harry replied.

" Maid of honour? That means she'll be sitting at the table with us, right?" Ron asked, his eyes widening.

" Um, yes. She's actually sitting next to you…" Harry was taking the chance of being dead or alive when Ginny finally arrived, but he continued.

" You have to dance with her too…." Silence. Harry glance at Ron, with fear in his eyes. Ron's eyebrows were scrunched up, and low over his eyes. He was glaring at the window. It seemed as if Ginny never would get to marry him after all.

Suddenly, Ron laughed. Then he looked like he was going to cry.

" Wonder if she's still trying to save house-elves?" he mumbled. Then he grinned, "Harry, you prat, how come I hate you and love you at the same time?" 

Harry laughed." You can thank me later," he whispered.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Upstairs.

" Hermione! Come on! Wake up!" said Ginny, slapping Hermione's cheek. Hermione's eyes fluttered open. She groaned.

" Thank God! You're awake! Come on! They're going to start soon!" exaggerated Ginny and dragged Hermione to her feet and down the stairs, her red curls and veil floating behind her. 

They got downstairs as soon as her father came inside to get Ginny. The piano music started and Ginny handed her her bouquet.

" Good luck, " she whispered. **No time to think** Thought Hermione. Calm down! I CAN HANDLE THIS! Just GO! She fixed her hair one last time, and walked out the doors.

Hermione put on a smile and walked down the aisle, looking straight ahead. No one was going to see her cry if she looked at Ron. So she didn't look at him. Or anyone else for that matter. She looked straight ahead, took her place beside the altar, and turned to watch Ginny come down the aisle. Ginny came down on her father's arm, smiling at Harry, and looking right into his eyes. Hermione looked to see if Harry saw this and..... Oh God! Ron was standing in the way.

Oh no! Ron thought Hermione. He looked as good as ever. His hair, still red, was perfectly tousled. His eyes looked serious and pained. 'Maybe someone broke his heart,' thought Hermione, not at all thinking that it might have been her. He was standing tall, towering over Harry and probably everyone else at the wedding as well. 'This is ridiculous,' she thought. How come he looks so GOOD? Why didn't I see that before? Hermione, you idiot, don't fall in love with him. He's probably got one girl on each arm with his looks and personality. Augh! You're going to drive yourself insane! He's your best friend! Okay, you haven't seen or talked to him in seven years, but that doesn't change what's there. Oh God. I bet he hates me now. That's why he hasn't written back. Great. You're in love with someone who hates you. No! Remember? You're not in love with him! Good. Now he just hates me.

Many of the same type of thoughts were going through Ron's head. ' Look at her. She's as beautiful as I remember. The slight blush on her cheeks. The bushy brown hair up in a bun.... The same type of bun that she had at the Yule Ball. Her brown eyes on Ginny and Harry.'

Ron liked her eyes best. Deep brown, with certain warmth to them that he couldn't quite explain. There was a look in them now that he couldn't decipher. Sort of serious, happy, and angry, all at the same time. A far away look, as if she was somewhere else.

Those eyes glanced up and landed on his. They stayed together for a moment, a moment that Ron wanted to tell her that he needed her to love him, to tell her everything that had happened to him, how much he missed her, and why he hadn't ever written. He wanted to-to.... To just do something! Anything! To make her understand how much a broken heart hurts. Especially one that hurts for seven years. But, how could he? They were in a ceremony, and he couldn't tell her with his eyes, he knew that. Their moment lasted only a few seconds, but ended when Hermione looked away. Breaking the connection, just like before. Humph. Typical. Hi brow furrowed like it did when he was thinking, or in a bad mood, or just ticked off.

'Oh no,' thought Hermione when she looked into his eyes. She tried to read them, but it seemed impossible. How can eyes show so many emotions at once that it was a huge jumble and you couldn't tell what they were feeling? Ron's eyes were like that now, staring into her. Hermione felt that he was able to see everything she was feeling, and every thought running through her head, just by looking at her. Ashamed, she looked away and never looked back. 

Soon the ceremony was over and everyone apparated to a nearby field, now dressed in comfortable clothes. It was a field beyond the woods, filled with tables and a stage in one corner. 

" Everyone, please sit down!" Mrs. Weasley said.

" Ginny! Where do we sit?" Hermione asked Ginny.

" Um, you sit at the head table with us, third seat from the left."

Hermione went to her spot and sat down. Soon, someone else joined her. She looked up, put her head in her hands and silently cursed Ginny, who had made the seating arrangements. It was Ron.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione watched him sit down. He glanced at her and nodded.

" Hermione."

"Ron. It's uh, it's nice to see you," replied Hermione.

" I would say the same, but you know I always say my exact feelings," Ron said, meaningfully. Hermione grimaced at his tone of voice. Wordlessly, she mouthed 'ouch'. Her head snapped back to him.

" You know that's not true! We both do! How many years did it take you to tell me? Three? Four? Oh yes, that's it! Four years! And, uh, how long did it take you to tell Harry you were sorry in fourth? Months, was it? Oh! And what about how long it took you to tell me that you now hate me? Seven years, I think. My, my. That's almost twice the amount of time it took you to tell me you loved me."

" Shut up about that," he mumbled."And I don't hate you."

" Ha! So that's the reason you insult me as soon as you talk to me? For the first time in seven years? The reason you never wrote? Because you _don't_ hate me?" she cried.

" What would I have written?" Ron asked, his voice rising.

" How about 'Hi hermione, how are you? Love, Ron.' That would have been a start!"

" Oh! But there's that tricky little word in there, Hermione! A tricky little word called love! And it's the thing that keeps you from hating someone even if they hurt you! It's the thing that makes you think about someone every second of the day! It's the thing that most people want most in the world! But guess what!? All love's ever brought me is a pain in my chest for seven years! 2555 days to be exact! Pain because all I wanted was the smartest, gorgeousest girl I ever saw!"

Typical of Ron to use a word like gorgeousest. Hermione opened her mouth to correct him, but then changed her mind.

" If I might use the same argument someone else here used seven years ago, it's your own fault that you've been in so much pain! Maybe if you had thought how I felt, if you had thought that I was having a hard time too, you wouldn't have been so selfish! Maybe if you had paid attention to my three letters instead of how many Death Eaters you caught, you would have realised that I needed you as well!"

" All you ever needed was your books," mumbled Ron

" And all you ever needed was to be popular!"

" You know, Hermione, you really are quite daft."

" And you, Ron, are really quite immature."

" Shut up."

" Ooooohhhhh, that was a good comeback," said Hermione dryly.

" Some friend you are," he replied.

" I'm not the one who didn't write for seven years!" said Hermione, starting to eat her salad.

" I'm not talking to you," said Ron, shovelling in a mouthful of potatoes.

" I'm not talking to you either."

" Fine"

"Fine."

And they didn't. They ate their supper in silence. When they had to dance, they didn't talk either. When everyone from Hogwarts was having fun, they didn't catch up, or talk about old times, or dance like everyone else. No, they ignored each other. But Hermione couldn't help thinking about Ron, and Ron couldn't help but glance at Hermione.

At the end of the night, Ginny and Hermione were walking back to the Burrow, where they would spend the night. Ginny with Harry, of course.

" Well, now that you're married and off to make a kid, tell me what it's like to be in love with someone," requested Hermione.

" It's like what you feel for my brother," Ginny replied gently.

" You mean utter loathing?" said Hermione, staring sadly at the floor.

" Don't worry Hermione. It will all work out. I know it will. Just look at how hard it was for me, loving Harry all those years. Weasleys don't have it easy with love, and it was really hard. But look at how happy I am now! Relationships are hard, but there's always something good in the end,"Ginny said, smiling.

" Did you know, Ginny, that I'm 24 years old and I've never been kissed?"

" Yes you have! Liar! You're just trying to go deeper into the pit of feeling sorry for yourself! What about Viktor? And that Ravenclaw? Erik, was it? You've kissed them!" Cried Ginny, exasperately.

" None of them actually counted," mumbled Hermione.

" And none of them will until you kiss the right one."

" Fine, fine! I'm still a virgin, however.'

" Then I suggest you invite Ron over to your flat sometime," Ginny said, teasingly. Hermione couldn't help but grin. They said goodnight and headed to their rooms. Hermione fell asleep almost instantly, she felt so at home at the Burrow. And, well, we all know what Ginny was doing, so we'll not go there.

Outside, a tall redheaded Weasly( who's first initial just happened to be R.) sat out in the garden, thinking about a certain argument he'd had earlier.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, Hermione woke up with the sun in her face and her owl hooting on the windowsill. Crookshanks (now a very old cat) was curled up in her arms, purring softly.

Crookshanks had always had something to him that Hermione could never explain. There was something to him, that only she seemed to see. They had a bond, almost. 

Let's just look at this. We all know that Crookshanks loves to chase garden gnomes. Well, it was 10 o'clock now; usually he would have been out by seven. But when Hermione came in last night, all depressed, Crookshanks curled into her arms and stayed there, even when he could have been doing fun things.

" You're a great cat," whispered Hermione.

" Prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr," was all he said.

Hermione climbed out of bed and dressed in a blue skirt and a tight, blue, ribbed sweater. She kept her hair down and put on mascara and some lip balm. Then she headed downstairs toward the delicious smell.

Sure enough, Mrs. Weasley was cooking breakfast. Waffles, hashbrowns, and fresh fruit were on the table. Sausages were in the pan. Hermione took a seat and couldn't help but chuckle at the people around her. She was sitting next to Harry, and together they were two dots of brown and black, lost in a sea of red. Every Weasley seemed to be there. Ginny, on Harry's other side was being pestered by the Fred and George that we love so much.

" So Ginny, get much sleep last night?" asked Fred, wiggling his eyebrows.

" What!?" asked she, very shocked indeed.

" Gin, I think it might be time for us to have a chat about the birds and the bees," added George.

" You guys! Please! Don't!" Gin begged.

Bill and Charlie were talking to their dad about some dragon that Charlie had caught in Romania.

" I swear Dad, it was HUGE! It took 30 of us to catch it! I've never seen a Norwegian Ridgeback go that nuts! And all because Hagrid showed up. Sheesh!"

Mrs. Weasley was talking to Percy and Bill's wife about... Something; Hermione couldn't really tell what. There were also some of Bill and Percy's kids sitting there, all with red hair except for one, who had brown, curly hair. They seemed to be all accounted for. Everyone except for Ron, that is.

" Where's Ron?" Hermione asked Harry.

" He's still upstairs. I don't think he had a very good sleep," he whispered back.

Speaking of the devil, at that moment Ron apparated downstairs, fully dressed, with bags in hand.

" Sorry mum, everyone, but there's been an attack and I need to leave... Two minutes ago." Ron said, very fast. He grabbed a waffle, stuffed it in his mouth, and downed it with a glass of orange juice. Hermione always wondered how he could eat so fast. He turned, looked at Hermione, mouthed 'sorry' and apparated before she could blink.

She looked around to see if anyone had seen. No one had, thankfully. Calmly, she picked up her fork and began to eat her hashbrowns, spearing them one by one. Ginny traded spots with Harry and came to talk to Hermione.

"You guys better have a kid soon, cause I'm going to miss him," Hermione said softly.

" You'll see him sooner than that. After all, he did say he was sorry," said Ginny, looking at Hermione. Hermione silently cursed Ginny for being so attentive and blushed.

" Ya, he did, didn't he..."

The rest of the festivities were fun but soon Ginny and Harry left for their honeymoon and Hermione went back home. She turned her key in the lock and went in to flop on the couch. A vase on the table caught her attention and she sat back up again. In place of her normal bouquet of roses was one of pretty yellow ones. Three fairies sat on the leaves in the bouquet, chatting away. A note was under the vase. Curious, she picked it up. 

__

Dear 'Mione, 

I'm sorry I had to leave right after we had an argument, but you know I had to. I know when I left Hogwarts seven years ago; I didn't say goodbye, as did I this time. Let's not repeat history and not see each other for another seven years. I'm coming back for Christmas and I hope you'll come and celebrate it with us. I'm bringing mistletoe.

Love, Ron.

After reading it, Hermione held it close and closed her eyes. She smiled and picked up a pen and a paper. She never like writing with quills, anyway.

__

Dear Ron, she wrote. _I'm sorry for every word I ever said to hurt you. I was young Ron! Love was something I couldn't understand! This thought scared me so much. I refused to fall in love with you, even though I knew I already had. So when you told me Ron, I was scared. I had never experienced love before, and I didn't know if it was right. I barely ever listen to my heart, and you know that. So I listened to my head, and it was saying that loving you would be wrong. I lied and said I wasn't in love with you. Then, that day at the station, I had this old taxi driver who made me realize I did love you. But you were already gone. I had missed my chance and that made me unhappy. I tried writing to see if you still loved me, but you never wrote back. So I ran away to my books and your sister, who's the best friend anyone could ever have. And you're the best guy I could ever have and I don't want to miss my chance again. I'm in love with you, Ron. _

Hermione

PS. When you're away, what do you miss most from Britain? I'll send you a package.

With those last words, Hermione tied her letter to her owl, and lay down on the couch. That was where she fell asleep.

The next day Hermione went to work and took care of patients. During her break, Lavender (who was now married to Seamus) came from the physcological ward where she worked, to have lunch with Hermione like they always did. Other than that she got a letter from Ginny + Harry telling her how their honeymoon was, the day was quite ordinary.

On the way home, she went into Flourish and Blott's to get a book she'd been wanting to read. She hailed a taxi since it was dark out and climbed in. She realized to her shock, that it was the driver who had driven her from the station, those many years ago. He was smiling, and clearly recognized her.

" Well, hello, miss. I was wondering if I'd ever see you again."

" It's simply great to see you!" Hermione said. Suddenly, she found herself telling him all sorts of things and he listened, nodding and murmuring at all the right points. They reached her flat too soon, she thought.

" Here's my personal taxi number, so if you ever need a lift, you can call me," he said, handing a card with his name and number on it.

" Thankyou," she said, giving him a tip and heading into her flat.

She made Chicken Peanut noodles and orange juice for supper, with half a pomegranate for desert. She headed into her living room to read her book when she saw and owl at the window. She let it in and took the letter from its leg. It was from Ron, she could tell by his writing.

__

What I miss most of all is you, was all it said.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N Dedicated to my friend Peter, because I miss him most at Christmastime.

3 years later

Christmas

The Burrow

" Merry Christmas, Ginny," Hermione said, coming downstairs on that Christmas morning. She said Merry Christmas to everyone else, kissed her godson Andre (Harry and Ginny's son), and sat down to unwrap presents. The presents were piled under the tree, but the pile had been getting smaller throughout the years, as more of the Weasley's went off to Hogwarts.

Bill's four kids were there, two of Percy's, and Charlie's two kids were all there. Fred had a one-year-old named George, and a two-year-old named Adrianna. George also had a one-year-old and his name, amazingly, was Fred. Hermione sensed a definite conspiracy going on there.

The Weasley family had grown for sure. There were now 12 grandchildren, and 6 in-laws. For those who can do fast math, you realize that Hermione and Ron were not married. The rest of the day was spent opening gifts, and helping prepare for the party they were having. Hermione helped cook the food, then went upstairs to change.

She came back down in a red dress that tied behind her neck. Her hair was up in a bun and she had put glitter that changed from red to green, to gold. The party was already in full swing. People were dancing and laughing, drinking and talking. Hermione took a cup of punch and headed over to where Ginny was by the fireplace.

"Hey Gin," she said, jumping out of the way to avoid being crushed by Fred and his wife, dancing nearby. Ginny laughed.

" Hey Herm," she replied.

Hermione took a second to look around her. The fire was dancing merrily in the fire, the 18 stockings hung above it. There was candles and holly on the mantel, and a picture over it. Hermione stared at the picture. It was one of her, Ron, Harry, and Ginny, taken while they were at Hogwarts. Ron was grinning and waving at her, and Hermione smiled sadly back, wishing it wasn't only a picture. Hermione saw Ginny look at the picture, at her, and then back at the picture.

" I miss him most at Christmastime," she whispered, pulling out a battered letter from her purse. It was the second last one he ever sent her, three years ago, inviting her for Christmas. She glanced at it then crumpled it back up and put it in her purse.

" I know you do. But you have to realize something Herm. He was very brave. He gave his life for the one we know today. He died very-"

" He didn't die, Ginny," Hermione interrupted. " He's not dead! I know it! All of you, you're just getting on with your lives quite fine, it seems. How can you just forget!? Can you really give up hope that easily?"

" Hermione, we've been over this before. He went missing. The Death Eaters probably caught him and killed him. He's missing! Gone! Dead! God, Hermione! Do you not think that I had a hard time accepting it too? Do you think that I enjoyed the fact that I suddenly had to go to my brother's funeral because they couldn't find him!? Well, I didn't! And sometimes I wish I could be like you, to be so sure of yourself. But I couldn't live in denial, and that's exactly what you're doing!"

And it was true. There had been a funeral for Ron. Because the last words anyone had heard from him was the letter Hermione had gotten, the What I Miss Most letter.

__

On the Auror trip, they had been separated from the rest. Ron and Dean Thomas. They had both never returned to the group, and they couldn't find them. The Aurors had come back, and Ron hadn't. They had even had a funeral for him. The casket had been full of memories of him, each person had put one in. Hermione had put in the What I Miss Most letter and her Yule Ball dress, so that it would be like he was actually going with her. She had also put in a Chudley Cannons card of Ron's that she had found in her Care of Magical Creatures book. Those type of things.

Everyone had cried so much, but Hermione had not ever cried. Not a tear, not a whimper, not a sob. Perhaps she was in shock, which's what many people said. The spark from her eyes had gone, and she rarely smiled. The doctors said this was normal behavior, but it continued for three months. Too long, said Ginny. For she had been very worried something would happen. And it did.

Hermione became very weak and pale, and they had finally hospitalized her. On her third night there, Hermione had gone into a coma. Her fourth day into the coma, she had a very vivid dream. It was about Ron. She could see and here everything that was going on, and could somehow tell that he was being tortured in a Death Eater-run prison. It went something like this:

Hermione woke up on a cold stone floor. It was cold and dark and damp. She pulled her robe tighter to her and realized she was in a prison cell. One small window gave little light, and the thick stone door on one wall would have blocked any that came from the hall beyond. There was a young man in a bed, in the corner, huddled under a grey wool blanket. Only his face could be seen, until he moved and his red hair became visible. Hermione gasped when she realized who it was.

" Ron! Oh, Ron!"

She ran over to him. His face had become thin and rough, his eyes dull and pained. The blue that so many girls had fallen in love with was gone, and had become an eerie grey. 

Ron sat up slowly and started to talk to a hole in the wall. A face suddenly appeared. It was Dean Thomas!

" How long do you reckon it's been now?"

" About three months, I suppose," replied Dean, his voice hoarse. Silence from Ron. Suddenly, the door opened, and a Death Eater stepped in. Hermione gasped, and pressed herself against the wall, but the Death Eater didn't even glance at her. It walked up to Ron and looked down on him.

" So Weasley, how are we doing today?"

" As if you would care, " Ron replied, glowering at the Death Eater.

" You know Weasley, you're not being very nice. Look at this from my point of view. I rescue you from that terrible forest, I bring you here. I give you a place to sleep, and food to eat. Surely this is better than that dump your family lives in. And all I ask, is that you tell me who has the Mirror of Erised!

The Death Eater who's voice sounded oddly familiar, kept shouting." So! Are you going to tell me who has it, or not!?"

Ron glared back.

" I wouldn't know," he said calmly.

" Weasley! I know that you have connections concerning this! You do know! I know it!"

" Well, Malfoy, you're obviously wrong."

Hermione gasped again. Malfoy!? Draco Malfoy!? She couldn't believe it. Sure, he had always been mean to them at school, but she never thought he'd become one of- one of THEM! But there he was, standing right in front of her, his ugly mask covering his face that she knew was wearing a scowl.

" Do not talk back to me! Crucio!"

Ron started to scream in pain, writhing under his blanket. 

" Stop it! Stop it, please," Hermione cried, covering her ears to block out Ron's screams. Malfoy only smiled down at Ron. Hermione pulled out her wand to curse him, but nothing happened. She tried to pull on him, push on him, kick him, but nothing worked. He never reacted. Oh God, she thought when she realized where she was. I'm in a dream.

" Finite," said Draco, and Ron was silent. " We'll talk about this later."

And he left.

" You okay, man? You look bad," Dean asked.

"You know what Dean? I think it's Christmas," Ron replied.

" God. You're right. Merry Christmas, Ron."

"Happy Christmas Dean."

Then they lapsed into silence again. Hermione wanted Ron to be able to hear her, so she could talk to him, make him know she was there. But Ron, who was softly singing a Muggle Christmas song that had always made Hermione cry, broke her thoughts. Ron started to sing softly.

"I-----i'---l be ho----ome for Chri---istmas, yo--ou--u can co--ount on me-------e.

I------i'l----l be ho----ome for Chri----istma--as-s, if only i-in my dre---eams."

Hermione started to cry. She took one of his hands in his and held it, even though she knew he couldn't feel it and sobbed pitifully.

" Ron! Oh, Ron! They think you're dead! They think you're dead," she mumbled over and over. "You have to come back! You need to escape! Please Ron!"

But Ron was asleep.


	7. the VERY, VERY short chapter

Chapter 7

In the hospital, Hermione awoke and sat up suddenly. She looked around her and saw five worried faces looking at her, and the nurse. On one side was Ginny and Harry, Ginny very pregnant, and on the other were her parents. And sitting, for some odd reason cross-legged at the foot of the bed was Dumbledore, with Crookshanks curled up in his lap. Hermione didn't even KNOW old men could sit cross-legged.

"Ron isn't dead," she said. This statement, of course led to complete confusion, especially when Mrs. Weasley walked in and became ver flustered, indeed. Upon hearing the story, everyone tried to convince her that it was only a dream, and didn't mean anything, and that they knew for certain that he was dead.

"But you don't!" Hermione had cried, over and over again. "How do you know? He went missing, didn't he? Missing people have been known to turn up years later!"…None of it had worked.

Hermione looked up at Ginny and said quietly," It isn't denial, Gin. It's believing the truth."

The Christmas spirit got over them both, and they both dropped it. A fast number started and Ginny grinned, grabbed Hermione's arm and dragged her into the center of things.

The Christmas holidays passed quickly, and soon it was New Year's Eve. The Weasleys and Hermione were in the living room, talking quietly, and basking in the warmth of the roaring fire in the fireplace. Soft music was playing, and they were eating Mrs. Weasley's delicious cooking. It was 11:58.

Mrs.Weasley glanced at the clokc and announced," It's almost midnight."

"Find your special someone," said Bill. It was tradition in the Weasley family that you would dance with someone who was special to you at midnight on New Year's Eve. Hermione, of course, never got to participate in this tradition. So she settled herself into a chair by the fire and watched the couples dance, looking so happy, off in their own little worlds, with a smile on her face. She glanced at the clock, the one that said where everyone was. Currently, everyone's name (including her's and Harry's, which had been placed there in their sixth year) were pointing at either school or home, except for Ron's, which was at Someplace Unimaginable. This clock was too morbid, she suddenly realised. So she looked at the ordinary clock. 

Thirty seconds 'till midnight………Hermione gazed into the fire…….Fifteen seconds until midnight……….She gasped in surprise as the firplace turned green………Ten seconds…….The flames lept high…………Five seconds…………The fire went out completely………Three seconds……Two……. One……..A figure fell out of the fireplace……..It was midnight.

Standing up, the figure pushed their hair out of their face, glanced around and grinned at the sight before him.

"Sorry I'm late," he said. "What did I miss?" Hermione stood up suddenly and stared at the figure.

" Hello, Hermione," he said cheerfully.

" Ron," she whispered.


	8. First day home

Thanks to everyone who reviewed…I'm glad you like it. Sorry it took so long to post again, but there was something wrong with the site so I couldn't. 

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Yes, it was Ron. Her Ron, the one she dreamed of every night. Every night. And now he was here, standing beside her, and grinning at her quite stupidly. As if everything were normal. Hermione couldn't take it. She sat down in her chair and started sobbing. Crying all the tears she had never cried as if her life depended on it.

Everyone stopped dancing and turned around, coming over to see what was the matter. Some of them, looking at Ron for the first time, didn't grasp the concept. The others figured it out right away.

"Ron."

"My God."

"Ron?"

" Ickle Ronniekins!"

" My baby!"

Ron crouched near Hermione and pushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"Mione? What's wrong? What did I say?"

" Nothing! Sob! It's just you're back and…" Slowly, everyone left the room and went to bed, thanks to Ginny. Ron and Hermione were left alone in the room.

" 'Mione, it's okay, I'm here now."

" That's not the point! Everybody thought you were dead! They wouldn't believe me!

" I assure you, I am very much not dead," said Ron.

" I was starting to think that maybe-"

"Shhhh. It doesn't matter what you think. Only that you know."

" Sob! "

Hermione fell into his lap and cried against his shoulder. They sat there by the fire, until the fire turned to embers, and until the embers died completely. 

" Hermione?" asked Ron hesitantly, as if he didn't really want to know the answer. " While I was gone, you didn't, you didn't go and get yourself married or anything, did you?"

"Ron! Of course not!" she said, sounding more like herself. "Honestly! Why would I ever get married if I weren't marrying-" she stopped and grinned wickedly at Ron.

"Who?" he asked, and by the smirk on his face Hermione could tell he thought it was he.

" Why, Vicky, of course!" she cried. Hermione grinned as she watched his face turn from pleased about himself, to horror, to realization.

"Hermione! You wouldn't!" he said in a false indignant voice. Then he did something he had never done to anyone except Ginny, and even then, had stopped when she was eight. He tickled her. 

" Ack! No! Ron! Please! Stop! No, I'm REALLY ticklish! Ron!"

" Hermione, be quiet, you'll wake everyone up! Hermione, stop fooling around! You're going to break something! Hermione! No roughhousing!" he said, laughing.

"In this house! Are you mad! With Fred and George living here for seventeen years?" Hermione gasped. Ron stopped tickling her and looked into her eyes. Hermione used the break to her advantage and sat up from the floor. She looked at Ron too, and slipped her hand into his.

"I'm really glad you're back," she said. 

' I know," he replied.

" Oh! Aren't we modest!" she joked.

" I tell myself that all the time," he threw back. Hermione laughed and looked into his eyes. Telepathically, she told him to kiss her. Perhaps it was because Hermione could actually talk telepathically, or because Ron just wanted the same thing, but he leaned in and kissed her. Hermione sighed happily inside herself and closed her eyes. She pulled away first, leaned towards his ear and whispered," Goodnight, Ickle Ronniekins."

Then she went upstairs to her room and left Ron to think about just exactly how beautiful Hermione really was. 

The next morning Hermione awoke with the oddest feeling. It felt like she was being watched. She opened her eyes and her beliefs were confirmed. Ron's face was about half a centimeter away from her own, and he was peering closely at her eyelashes.

" It's time to wake up," he whispered. Hermione screamed and leapt positively leapt, out of bed.

" Ron Weasley! Do not do that to me ever again!!!" she yelled, although she couldn't help not being mad at him because he was so positively cute!

" Come on, my mum's made breakfast and everyone is waiting for us."

" For us? Oh no, Ron, they're going to think-" But Ron had grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room.

" It doesn't matter," he said.

" Doesn't matter?" she screeched. " Ron, are you mad? Of course it matters! This is your FAMILY!!!!! And your MOTHER!!!!! What is she going to think?"

" Nothing she didn't think with my other brothers," he replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Honestly! She's going to think I'm some kind of scarlet woman!"… Hermione continued to rant as she was pulled down the many stairs of the Burrow. Before they entered the kitchen, Ron turned to her and deciding it was the only way to shut her up, he kissed her. And she did.

" Now just act normal, okay?" he asked. Hermione nodded. 

" Good morning everyone!" Ron said cheerfully, again, acting as if everything were normal. Everyone replied and Molly pulled Ron over to sit beside her.

" Ron, dear, it feels soooo good to have you back! I couldn't stand not having you here for the longest time! Oh, I've missed you SO much! Hermione, sit down beside me here, you're looking awfully thin. Here, have some bacon…." Mrs. Weasley put bacon as well as two eggs on Hermione's plate, and Hermione also helped herself to orange juice, for once not minding the fact that Mrs. Weasley cooked with certainly too much grease. It simply wasn't healthy, she usually thought. Today, however, she was too happy to mind. Instead, she thought, Hmmm. Mrs. Weasley is SUCH a good cook! Hermione ate and listened to the people around her chatter happily away, a great difference from the first few months that Ron wasn't there. Soon, the topic came up on how Ron was going to make his entrance back into the wizarding world. He figured he would just walk into the Ministry and ask for his job back, or, even better, walk into the Daily Prophet's office, grin winningly at the editor and say, 'Well, I'm back!' 

" Erm, Ron, its going to be a bit more difficult than that. Do you want to make everyone cry from the shock of seeing you like you did to Hermione?" Harry said teasingly to Hermione.

" I suppose all my things and my flat are gone?" he asked.

" Well, not all your things, but we sold your flat," Ginny said.

" Your room is the same though, and Harry and Hermione kept a lot of your stuff," Bill said.

" Yes, dear. You should stay here. It would be just like before. Your room is clean, however," Mrs. Weasley said.

" Um, well, I was thinking of maybe renting a place or something. I'm not actually allowed to apparate, you see, and I surmise there's going to be a lot of paperwork, so I'll need to be at the Ministry a lot and I think I should stay near there…." Mrs. Weasley and Ron continued to argue about where he should stay, but you could tell they were both just glad the other was there. Hermione watched them and an idea formed in her head. It took a lot of time though to get the courage to say it out loud.

"Um," she interrupted," Ron could- Ron could, uh stay with me. I mean, it's really close, and my flat is big enough, and there's a whole bed that nobody ever sleeps in and so I think it should actually be used…" She said this all very fast, and looked down at he plate when everyone looked at her and Ron.

Ginny spoke up, " I think that's a GREAT idea. Ron should stay with Hermione. And that's final," she ended. Mrs. Weasley agreed, and everyone went back to their innocent chatter. Hermione glanced up at Ginny and smiled gratefully. Ginny smiled back and mouthed, you owe me. Hermione grinned back. Then she caught Ron's eye and grinned at him. He smiled what he thought was a winning smile and winked, very much like Gilderoy Lockhart. Hermione made a mental note to herself that she should remember this fact in order to use it for retaliation. 

The day passed quickly, Ron packed his stuff, and soon they were ready to leave. They all went to bed early that night, since Hermione needed to leave early since she had an interview (for what she wouldn't say) and they needed to catch an early train back to London. She hated to Floo, and anyway, travelling on the train with Ron would be almost like the train to Hogwarts. Everyone else said goodbye to them that night, and Harry and Ron spent long hours in Ron's room, catching up and positively giddy about having their best friend back. Although one would think that Ron and Dean would have become best friends considering what they went through together, Ron would always be best friends with Harry, and Dean with Seamus. Ron and Dean had grown closer, but sometimes two people, no matter how much time they spend with the other person, will never be best friends. Your friendship has to be made exactly right otherwise it won't work. Ron and Harry worked. So do me and Hermione, Ron had often thought, and it was very, very true.


	9. Train Station Frustration

Dedicated to my friend Elli, and to Katrina, the only one who I ever told my story to. And to all the guys out there with red hair. You will love me, and I will very, very much love you. LOL But remember, I said RED not orange.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was, in Hermione's opinion, much too early to be getting up. But she couldn't miss this interview, and she couldn't miss the train. So she stumbled out of bed and relied on her sense of touch to make sure she got to the bathroom. She didn't need to worry about anyone seeing her in this state, everyone except her and Ron were asleep, and Ron took a long time to get out of bed. She reached the door and turned the knob. She walked in.

If Hermione hadn't been awake before, she was most definitely wide awake now. Ron had obviously just had a shower and was wearing only a towel around his waist. His hair was still wet and he was just finished brushing his teeth. For someone who had been tortured for three years….He looked very good. 

Hermione scolded herself for thinking such thoughts and realised exactly what, if anyone was up at this ghastly hour, this would look like.

" Oh, um, I'll uh just wait outside until you're finished I suppose," she said, turning quite like the colour of Ron's hair.

Speaking of his hair, she realised suddenly how extremely cute red hair could be. She could imagine what it would be like to run her fingers through it. She yelled at herself again, wondering what was wrong with her to be making her think these thoughts. Her body obviously couldn't stand getting up at this hour. Yes, that must be it. But she really had to get out of here, before her mind thought other things. She needed to get out. Now. She started to walk backwards out of the washroom but slammed into the door, realising that it must be closed. She fumbled with the knob, and Ron sniggered at her. He obviously thought this was all very funny.

The door clicked, and Hermione fell back into the hallway, slamming the door behind her. She leaned against the walls and closed her eyes. She thought about exactly what she had just seen. Of course, she hadn't exactly seen anything bad. Oh, no, it had all been good but, the embarrassment! Head Girl at Hogwarts seeing THAT and thinking THOSE thoughts! What if someone found out? What if Professor McGonagall found out?

This is ridiculous, she thought. No one's going to know. It's not that bad, I suppose. But, Honestly! Didn't Ron think to lock the door? Suddenly she started laughing as she imagined what the look on her face must have looked like. No wonder Ron found it funny. 

The door opened, and out came Ron, swinging the towel in his hand and whistling. He grinned at her.

" It's all yours," he said with a smirk on his face.

" What are you DOING up at this hour? You're never up this early, and even then, you're always grumpy if you haven't gotten enough sleep. And I know you didn't. Seven hours is not enough! Honestly, Ron, didn't you know that it's unhealthy to be lacking sleep? It can cause serious-" But she never got to finish since Ron, tired of listening to her, pushed her into the washroom and closed the door behind her. Well! Thought Hermione. But she went in the shower anyway.

Half an hour later, Hermione and Ron had eaten, and had just put on their jackets. Shrinking their trunks, they pocketed them and headed out the door. The town was starting to wake up and the sun had just come over the trees. The Christmas snow sparkled so white it blinded you, literally.

"Owwww! My eyes!" said Ron, rubbing the aforementioned body part. Hermione agreed, then screamed when she realised the time.

"Ron! Lokk at the time! We're going to be late!" she said, starting to run.

"Hermione," said Ron, catching up quickly, " We won't be late. The train station is just around the corner!"

" Yes, but Ron, we haven't bought your ticket yet!" she yelled, pulling ahead. Ron eyes widened when he realised that they hadn't. 

" Run!!!!!" he agreed. And they ran. They ran up the long driveway, down the long street and around the corner to the station. They raced inside the building, ran to the nearest ticket vender and hurriedly asked for a ticket. The vender smiled at them and said," Sorry, but this train is full, there are no tickets left."

" No tickets! But there must be some! Who the hell travels on New Years day to London?" said Hermione, and Ron snorted.

" We do, obviously. And watch your language Hermione…" Hermione simply glared at him.

" No, honestly, we don't need two seats, it's okay, just give us a ticket. One of us can stand."

" Or you can sit in my lap."

" No," the vendor repeated. " I can't do that. There is only a certain number of people allowed on the train and it's already full. London is a long ways away, you know." He said it with such finality that they gave up and bought a ticket for the next train. Gloomily, they went over to a bench and sat down. And they waited. And waited. And waited. The minutes on the clock passed very slowly, and Hermione was almost crying with frustration. Ron kept on trying to make stabs at conversation, but Hermione was very bored, and Hermione was not a person whom you wanted to be around when she was bored. Finally, an hour and a half of boredom and Ron's awful jokes ( was it just me or had Hermione wanted those jokes more than anything else in the world a few days ago?) the train finally pulled into the station.


	10. The train ride

To all those people out there who have had travelling difficulties in Europe. (Maybe because the stupid people won't tell you where you can buy a ticket if you went to the wrong place!!!) I know how you feel. Let's make a club.

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Hermione and Ron found a compartment near the front of the train. Hermione sat huffily in her seat, pulled her legs under her and grabbed her old and bettered _Hogwarts, A History _from her bag. She angrily turned the pages and had just started to read about The Grey Lady when Ron suddenly laughed and made her look up.

"What?" she asked, irritably. (I think it was her time of the month)

" Please don't tell me you still read that!" Ron gasped bent over double and shaking with silent laughter. Hermione sighed angrily.

" Yes, Ron, I do. And might I suggest that YOU read it sometime, and then you would agree with me that it is actually a very good book!"

" Hermione, I am never, ever, ever going to read that book, and you know I won't. There's no use trying to make me. It doesn't interest me at all." 

" Oh, well then, fine! Go ahead and not like it!" she said, glaring at him. Then, she added, " Viktor liked it."

" What!? Krum? He didn't! How do you know this, anyway?" Ron exploded, and Hermione got the reaction she hoped for.

" Oh, you know, it was on his night table in Bulgaria. He told me it was his favorite."

" It was- he- you," Ron sputtered. He stood up. Hermione stood up too. No way was she going to just let him get mad at her like this. They glared at each other. Ron finally grabbed H,AH and sat down in his seat. He wrinkled his eyebrows and opened it to the first page. Calmly, he started reading. Hermione stared at him in amazing wonder and had a hard time not laughing. If only she had her camera.

She sat down and took out another book and started to read that, instead. But she was again, interrupted by Ron, who had thrown down the book and stood up again.

" You mean you went in his ROOM!?" he yelled.

" Well I stayed at his house during the summer for awhile, didn't I?" Hermione yelled back.

" But you went in his ROOM! That is completely different than just going to his house!"

" Honestly, Ron! I've been in your room lots of times, it wasn't any different!!"

" Not any different! Hermione, this is Krum we're talking about! He was a seventeen-year-old teenage boy! This is even worse than what you did at the Yule Ball! Okay, I forgave you for fraternizing with the enemy- WHICH IS WHAT HE IS!- But sleeping with them!? Hermione, why didn't you just kiss Malfoy instead!"

" Why the hell did you think I slept with him!!!!! I never said I slept with him! Besides, Viktor and I would never, we wouldn't- I mean come on Ron! Viktor and me? Sleeping together? Where did you ever get the idea he even kissed me!?"

" I know he did! It wasn't that hard to guess! I mean, you had to have done something those two weeks you were there! What exactly did you do with him? Did you kiss Vicky?"

" DON'T call him Vicky! And yes, I kissed him! Does it really matter that much!?"

"Of course it matters! You-you you kissed the enemy!!!!"

" Ron! I thought we agreed that Viktor was not the enemy! Now can we please just drop this! It is so immature! We've argued about him too much already!"

" Fine! But don't expect me to ever sign the Christmas cards you send him," Ron grumbled. Hermione smiled and sat back in her seat. He was so cute right now, muttering to himself about Vicky and kiss and enemies. But she couldn't tell him that. She knew she was supposed to be angry with him. But it was very hard… Especially when he kept on reading _Hogwarts, A History_ until the end of the train ride. 

When the train pulled into the station, they jumped off and walked out of the station. Hermione took out her cell-phone and called our favorite cab driver. She thought it was about time he met Ron, and after all, he was the best driver in London. 

He pulled up, his flyaway white hair sticking out of his hat and opened the door for them. They pulled away from the station and Hermione started the introductions.


	11. Meeting Mr Hart

Okay, I'm sorry this is only going to be a short chapter, but I was planning on only writing one thing. The fifth book! Augh! She's given in the manuscript, you guys! It was in the newspaper!!!!!! June 21st!!!!!!! It's going to be HEEEEERRREEE!!!!! Can you tell I'm excited? Alas, I have to share my excitement with you guys, since my friends aren't nuts like me… Okay, okay, listen to this. This is how it starts. AHEM

"The hottest day of the summer so far was drawing to a close and a drowsy silence lay over the large, square houses of Privet Drive. … The only person left outside was a teenage boy who was lying flat on his back in a flower bed outside number four." And then, it gets even better! We find out Dumbledore is going to tell Harry something very very important. Here's another part.

" It is time … for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry. Please sit down. I am going to tell you everything." What is he going to tell him? Why Voldemort wanted to kill him and his parents? What is special about Lily? If he actually IS the Heir of Gryffindor? Everything? And guess what!!!!!!!! It is even LONGER than the fourth book, even though she said it would be shorter! They say it is "by far" the biggest one!!!!! Yay!!!!!!! Only five more months and uh, 4 days! I'll keep a countdown, shall I on my posts? Yes? That's what I thought. Anyway, here's my post.

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" Mr. Hart, this is my, erm, friend, Ron Weasley. Remember I told you about him? Ron, this Mr. Hart, my cab driver," Hermione said, proudly saying my cab driver.

" Ah, yes, I remember, my Hermione. Would this be the one from the station many years ago?" … Hermione blushed, even though Ron couldn't possibly know what he meant by this. 

" Yes, this is him…" Ron looked completely confused.

" 'Mione, at the station? I haven't been at this station since before I left! What does he mean?" he asked. 

" Honestly, Ron! You are so nosy sometimes! Does it really matter? No, I didn't think so…" Mr. Hart watched the two from the review mirror with a look of amusement on his old face. How old was Mr. Hart? Hermione wondered. Well, it didn't matter anyway, did it? He was here now, and didn't look as if he was going to have a heart attack and crash the cab. So Hermione smiled at him and said, " So, um, we're going back to my flat… you don't need directions, do you?"

" Of course not," he smiled back. " Tell me, Ron, are you the one who's been in a prison all these years? Hermione described it to me quite vividly, her dream."

" Well yes, I actually just got back. Now you tell me, do you know everything about everybody, or just me?" Ron asked, in a nice way.

" Just the friends of Hermione's," he replied winking at her. Oh Lord, thought Hermione, he is going to tease me so much about this.

" 'Mione, you mean you've only told this man all about me? Wait! How many times has she called me a prat?" Ron asked. Their conversation continued, and teasing comments were sent back and forth. Ron found out numerous things that she had told the cab driver. Like how BRAVE he had been when he was playing chess. How BRAVE he was when he stood up to Sirius Black. How he had gone chasing after his worst nightmare so he could find out how to make HER become Unpetrified. Indeed, Mr. Hart put emphasis on the exact syllables (a/n that was for you James) to make her words sound as if she was completely in love with Ron. Which, she thought, might be true. But Hermione didn't want Mr. Hart declaring her love to Ron himself, so she put a stop to it.

" Okay, you guys! You've had your fun! Enough teasing!" she said.

" You are right, my Hermione. We shall stop. Right Ron?" agreed Mr. Hart.

" Fiiiiiine," sighed Ron, who was obviously having fun.

" But you know, Hermione, that if you went with my friend Mr. Baker, he could tell you what Ron thinks of you. I understand that Ron is fond of him. We found this out on our break…" Ron turned the colour of his hair and muttered something to himself. Perhaps the conversation would have continued, but they had reached Hermione's apartment and they had to rush since Hermione needed to be at an interview in half an hour. 

Hermione dragged Ron into her apartment, gave him the grand tour, settled him on her couch and told him to use anything he wanted. She then kissed him on the cheek and Apparated to her interview.


	12. The Picture

Hi everyone... very sorry I haven't posted in SO long, but I was studying for my Hog- I mean, Ashbury exam. I swear you guys, this school I want to go to is JUST like Hogwarts!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Honestly, there are houses and prefects and there are even portraits along the wall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But they don't move or talk. Not that I checked... How cool is that? And then my comp. crashed and all my stuff was lost and just grrr!!!!!!! So I'm really sorry.

Also, thanks for all your reviews.. I really appreciate it. Especially Aude Weasley, who reviews practically every chapter. Just thought you wanted some thanks.

Last thing. I have an idea... Ron is going to propose (duh). Should it be a surprise or should we talk about him buying the ring and stuff? Tell me what you want, because I'm really not sure.

~**~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~~

After Hermione had left, Ron stood in the middle of the apartment, looking around. Taking it all in. He had never been in Hermione's house or in the girls' dorm, and so he really had no idea what kind of living condition she liked. Tidy. He decided. Very, very tidy. Hmmm. She was going to be in for a shock with him living there. He laughed at the lecture he could already see he was getting. Honestly, Ron! Look at this mess! No wonder you were never organized at Hogwarts! Who could find anything in this pile of junk! I'm not going to let you just come and live here and not help! Could you please just keep your stuff tidy! Yes, he was in for it now.... Not that he minded, of course.

Ron walked through the apartment, which had been magically enlarged, and looked at each room. He came upon Hermione's room and decided to go in. Her bed was covered with a blue and white duvet cover ( there was a duvet inside, of course), and a nighttable had some pictures and a book on it. There was a dresser and a bookshelf full of books, but he was attracted to the nighttable most of all. He went over and sat on the bed. The pictures were all magical, except for one, which had obviously been taken by her parents. It was of Hermione on graduation day, holding her certificate and Hogwarts, A History, along with Harry beside her. They were both smiling, and Ron wondered why he wasn't there as well. 'Oh yeah,' he remembered. 'We weren't talking'.

But there were other pictures of him. One, with him and Hermione only. During that summer in sixth year when they had just finished playing Quidditch at his house. Both of them were covered in mud, Ron seemed to remember it was raining, how they had ever convinced Hermione to play was beyond him, but they were smiling and Hermione was holding a Quaffle. Others were of her and Ginny, all those years he had missed were presented in these pictures. Hermione, Harry, and Ginny, on TOP of the sphinxes head in Egypt ('Hermione did THAT!?'), one of Ginny and Harry right after they became engaged, and many more from Hogwarts time. There were many over her wall as well. Ron's mouth dropped open as he noticed that there was a picture of him only, taken by Hermione's Muggle camera framed with one of his Chudley Cannons' cards inside, right above her bed. Indeed, it looked to be in the place of honor. Ron grinned with pride and sang a little song to himself as he looked at the rest of the pictures. He was looking at the last one when his mouth opened again from shock. He closed it in anger and glared at the picture.

It was Hermione and Krum. Obviously taken during that summer when she visited him. In front of some cathedral in Bulgaria. They looked happy! She was smiling! And he was holding her hand!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Her HAND! Hermione's hand, HIS Hermione's hand!!!!!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. His eyes widened as the Krum in the picture pulled her into a hug. A hug! Of all things! How scandalous! he thought. Ron's eyebrows disappeared this time as Krum started playing with her hair. Ron couldn't take this any longer. He grabbed the picture and shoved it into her drawer with a slam. Then he stomped into the kitchen and went through the fridge looking for something to eat. This was not the way it was supposed to go.

*************

Meanwhile, Hermione had finished her interview and was in Diagon Alley buying supper and the Daily Prophet. While she was walking past Flourish and Blotts, she noticed a certain book in the window. It was THE CHUDLEY CANNONS, Your Team, written by the Captain of the Chudley Cannons himself. Since it was, technically still Christmastime, and she hadn't bought Ron a gift yet, Hermione walked into the store and bought it. She smiled to herself as she thought of how much Ron would love it when she brought it home for him. She thought of how happy she would be to come home to Ron. Smiling, she Apparated to her front door and opened it with a smile. Yes, there was Ron, and he was smiling and coming to kiss her as she came in. Oh no, wait. He wasn't smiling, and he certainly didn't look as if he was going to give her a kiss.

" Ron! Um, what's the matter?" she asked, dreading what might come, but also hoping for it. Secretly, she always liked fighting with Ron...

" What," he demanded, showing her a picture," Is the meaning of this?" ... Hermione looked at the picture and paled. He wasn't supposed to see that.


	13. Confrontations

Okay, fans, be happy. Two posts in one day! Actually, the only reason I'm posting is because I have nothing else to do and had a good idea. Please tell me about the proposal ring!!!!!

" What do you mean, what's the meaning!? It's a picture!" Hermione replied, sounding almost bored. She knew this would drive him up the walls. She continued to walk into the kitchen, setting down her bags and opening the fridge. She pulled out the orange juice and looked at him expectantly as he followed her into the kitchen.

" It's not just any bloody picture!!!!! It's one of Krum snogging you! Why do you still have this? Why is it over your bed?"

" Why were you in my room?" she yelled back.

" That's none of your business!"

" It's my room!!!!!!!" 

" But you said I could go anywhere! I was simply looking at your pictures!" Ron said, glaring at her from one side of the kitchen.

" And you found a picture! What else is there to say?" said Hermione, from the other side of the kitchen.

" I can think of a few! Why, after all these years, you still have a picture of him? And WHY he is holding your hand! And WHY when I looked at the picture he suddenly started to hug you and play with your hair!!!? Those are a few more things you could say!"

" Honestly, Ron! I am not going to stand here in my own kitchen and listen to you yell at me! He is holding my hand because he was my boyfriend! Couples usually do that you know! They also hug each other and SOMETIMES the guys play with the girl's hair! And there is a picture there of us because even though I don't like Viktor anymore, I still had fun on the trip! And he is most definitely NOT kissing me in the picture!!"

" Yes, well, if you had such a good time in Bulgaria, why don't you go and visit your boyfriend Vicky right now!!!!"

" Because he is not my boyfriend! I don't like him that way! There is only one person I like, although I'm finding it hard to like him at this moment!" she yelled at him, quite angrily.

" If you didn't like him anymore, you wouldn't have kept a picture of him! Besides, I mean, how scandalous is it that you went out with a 17-year-old guy!? Couldn't you o out with guys your own age?"

" No! Because all of the guys were like YOU!!!!!! That might be one reason! And anyway, how do you know what is scandalous and what isn't? It's not like you have had much experience in this field!"

"You only have experience because you're friends with Harry!" 

" And you only had experience with Padma because YOU were too pathetic to get a date of your own!"

" ONLY BECAUSE YOU WENT WITH BLOODY KRUM!!!!!!!!!!"

"Who says I would have gone with you even if I hadn't?" she challenged back. With that, she left the kitchen and went into her own bedroom, slamming the door and putting various locking charms on them.

Ron was left gaping stupidly in the kitchen before he turned and left for Harry's.


	14. Piece of Cake

Okay, well. Keep telling me about the ring and stuff, or email me if you don't want to spoil the plot at rubberduckie232@hotmail.com. Thank you very much for reviewing and keep it up! You guys are so nice! This chapter should be dedicated to you.

~*~*~

At Harry and Ginny's:

Ginny was standing by the stove, cooking what would soon be an Indonesian noodle thing. She was also very, very pregnant. Harry was sitting at the table, and Ginny thought he was reading _Quidditch Through_ _the Ages_ (I have that!), but in truth, he was staring at Ginny, with a very stupid look on his face. It was then that Ron walked in. He slammed the kitchen door and Ginny turned to look at him.

" Ron! How nice to see you! Um, where's Hermione?" she asked, smiling. That smile stopped when she realized where Hermione must be." Ron! What did you do? Honestly, on your first day there, you're already kicked out! No wonder Hermione used to get so angry with you! What did you say to her this time?"

" Ginny, you sound WAY too much like Mum for your own good. And I came to talk to Harry about personal matters," Ron replied, looking at Harry.

" Um, yes. Well, come Ron, we can, uh go to the study," Harry replied, ignoring the way Ginny was looking at him.

Ron and Harry walked into the study and Ron threw the picture on the desk. Harry looked at him blankly.

" Well! Look at it! Should I not be angry when I see THIS hanging over her bed?" yelled Ron, pointing to the picture and glaring at it. Harry went over to the desk and picked up the picture. He looked at it and the attempt to keep in his laughter failed. Ron looked livid.

" Come on, Ron! You're not still jealous of Viktor are you? Hermione hasn't seen him in years! What's wrong with this picture?" Harry asked innocently.

" What's wrong with it? What is wrong with it! Harry, he's holding her hand! And hugging her, and playing with her hair! I see many things wrong with this! Why did she keep it if she doesn't like him any more? And why was it hanging over her bed?"

" Ron, Hermione has many pictures hanging over her bed. And you shouldn't be jealous, there's quite a few with you in it, I've seen her room before. And this is Hermione we're talking about. She probably kept the picture because this church is famous for paying house-elves or something. I really don't think you should be getting this angry about it. Did you and Hermione argue already?"

Ron looked at his feet. " Second time today," he muttered.

" Ron! Sheesh! I cannot believe you two! One second you're making eyes at each other, and the next you're about to bite her head off! Couples hold hands sometimes, you know. They hug too. You've hugged Hermione. I'm sure you've held her hand. What if you were to break up and she still had a picture of you two at Hogwarts? And then she got a new boyfriend? It's not as if she's going to still have some affair going on with you 13 years later!"

" We're never going to break up! Hermione's the One, Harry, I can feel it. She always has been and nothing is going to change that!" Ron defended.

" Well, something might if you don't go and apologize," said Harry, pushing Ron out the door. " Hermione really likes a Muggle candy called Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. There's a store down the street that sells them. Go and buy some for her and get some fancy take-out Chinese. Sneak in, set the table, light some candles, and go and apologize. She'll love it. Believe me. I've had to do it for Ginny lots of times. At least Hermione isn't as stubborn as Ginny, it'll be a piece of cake."

" Right. Piece of cake," Ron muttered half to Harry, half to himself. He then walked down to the store where he could buy her these Peanut Butter Lumps, or whatever.

~*~

Ron entered the store and smiled at the lady at the cash. He walked up and said, " Um, my friend- girlfriend really likes these peanut butter things and, um I sorta messed up in a way, and I need to buy her some. But I'm not from around here so I don't know what they look like." Good excuse, his brain complemented him.

The girl helped him find them and Ron almost gagged when he saw what they were. (' Peanut Butter and CHOCOLATE?!') He then went and got some Chinese food and Apparated back to the apartment, telling himself all the while that this was going to be a piece of cake. He opened the door and snook in. Quietly he set the table just like Harry had told him and found some candles in the drawer. He transfigured a salt shaker into a rose at the last second and walked over to Hermione's door. Before he knocked, however, he stared at it for a while until he found the courage.

" Right. This is going to be a piece of cake," he muttered. Then knocked.


	15. Sorry Seems to be the Only Word the cha...

Okay, this chapter wasn't actually going to be this way but then a reviewer
    named Felicia gave me the idea that Hermione wouldn't be there. So the idea that
    Ron has to find her is hers.
    Also, I realised that I hadn't really said that Voldemort was alive or dead, so I'm clearing it up in this chapter. Either way, the Death Eaters still live. Thanks for all your reviews and keep reviewing! I want to have at least 100, that's my goal, and so review and if you already have, review again! LOL I will read your fics too, and tell all your friends to read mine. One last thing, I said Aude Weasely reviews every chapter, but so does Shadows Flame (I think she- he?- was the first one!) Sorry I didn't thank you before baby! Cheers! Adrianna
    ~*~
    Ron knocked on Hermione's door, the rose held out in front of him. He put on his
    best grin (Witch weekly winning), and waited for her to answer. And waited. And
    then he knocked again. And waited. Still, no answer.
    " 'Mione? It's me Ron. Please answer the door. I know you're really angry and I
    don't blame you, but I'm really sorry! I have something to show you, could you
    please just come to the door?" begged Ron, but not even an insult was thrown
    back at him. Maybe she's asleep, he thought.
    Quietly, he opened the door and peered in. There on the bed where Hermione
    SHOULD have been, was a note. Shit! thought Ron. Quickly, he grabbed the
    envelope and tore it open, reading its contents.
    Dear Ron,
     Maybe you were right. Maybe I should go back to Bulgaria to see Viktor, since
    I supposedly love him sooooooo much. At least he never blew up at me like you
    do. I can't believe the things you said, as if you would have any business in my
    past love life. Anyway, I'm leaving. Go to Bulgaria, maybe. I'm not really sure.
    Just somewhere. Hopefully somewhere, FAR AWAY FROM YOU! I'll be back in a week
    or so. Maybe you should stay with Ginny and Harry. Or make yourself at home but
    don't EVER criticize my choices again, Ronald Weasley!
    Hermione
    Far away? Bulgaria!? thought Ron. I can't let her do that! Bloody Hell! Think!
    Need to do something! Okay, she's probably taking a train because of the border
    problems and the ocean. So. I need to, um, go to the train station. Right. Okay,
    feet, go to the door. Quickly. Never mind. Body, go into panic mode now! Just
    go!
    And Ron did. He ran out the door and hailed a cab. He told the cab driver to go
    to Kings Cross and quickly. He was too worried to notice that the cab driver was
    Mr. Hart, and, had he asked, he would have found out that Hermione had gotten a
    drive from him only half an hour ago ( seems suspicious to me that Mr. Hart just
    HAPPENED to be near her flat). Ron's stomach felt oddly like it had when
    Hermione had been captured by Voldemort (yes, he said the name now) had also
    gone chasing after her, but Harry had been with him.
    It was then that they killed Voldemort, all three using the Killing Curse on him
    had the same time. It was proven later that the only reason it had worked was
    because Ron had used Voldemort's wand to kill him, and that his eternal-life
    spell hadn't prevented magic from his own wand. This had been an idea of
    Hermione's and had finally put the war against Voldemort to an end. But now
    wasn't the time to think about the defeat of Voldemort, now was the time to
    think about what he was going to say when he found her. The black clouds rolled
    over the London skies, and reminded him oddly of Hermione. Note to self, he
    thought. Never tell her this comparison. The storm would start for sure. And it
    looked to be a blizzard. Ron stared out the window the rest of the way, and
    checked his watch every 30 seconds.
    Finally, they reached the station and Ron sprinted in. He hurriedly found the
    platform with the sign saying "INTERNATIONAL" and sighed in relief. He jumped
    onto the nearest bench and scanned the crowds for Hermione. Then he saw her. She
    looked sadly at her watch and then down to the end of the tracks. Ron felt very
    weird at that moment, watching her without her knowing. He didn't think she'd
    ever forgive him.
    What have I got to do to make you love me?
    What have I got to do to make you care?
    What do I do when lightning strikes me?
    And I wake to find that you're not there
    What do I need to do to make you want me?
    What have I got to do to be heard?
    What do I say when it's all over?
    Sorry seems to be the hardest word
    It's sad, so sad
    It's a sad, sad situation
    And it's getting more and more absurd
    It's sad, so sad
    Why can't we talk it over
    Oh it seems to me
    That sorry seems to be the hardest word
    What do I need to do to make you love me?
    What have I got to do to be heard?
    What do I do when lightning strikes me?
    What have I got to do?
    What have I got to do?
    When sorry seems to be the only word.
    Ron knew what he needed to do. He jumped from the bench and ran over to
    Hermione. At that moment the train pulled into the station and Hermione gathered
    her stuff to board.
    " Oy! Hermione!" Ron called at the last second.
    "Wait!" People were watching him as he sprinted towards her and stopped a few
    feet away from her. She looked at him and he looked at her. Then, she turned away and stepped onto the train.
    "Bloody Hell," he muttered. He then sprinted towards the door and almost crashed into an old lady. As he was making sure she was alright and apologizing, the doors closed and the train pulled away. Ron stared after it, then grabbed his hair and attempted to pull out chunks of it. But someone touched his elbow and made him stop.
    " I would go buy a ticket," the old man said.
    " Mr Hart! What am I going to do! I just got her back! She can't leave now!" (Sorry, I know the Mr. Hart thing is old, but I just can't help myself to have him show up at odd places. Heehee)
    " Well, there's a train coming along soon… In about half-an-hour. Go buy a ticket and-"
    " I know what I'll do!" Ron interrupted, "I'll Floo!" Mr. Hart looked confused. Unfortunately, he was obviously a Muggle.
    " Uh. Right, you do that son," he replied. Ron smiled at him and ran out of the station. Ron ran out into the freezing rain. It was really coming down now but Ron barely noticed.
    It was ten minutes later and he was soaked to the bone when he finally reached the Leaky Cauldron. He opened the door and walked in, collapsing at the bar.
    "Hello Tom. Could I just have a butterbeer, please?"
    " Ronald Weasley?! A pleasure! It's so great to have you back!" said Tom, shaking Ron's hand.
    " Uh, right. Thanks. The butterbeer,please? I'm in a hurry. And, Tom? Could I please use your fireplace? I need to Floo."
    " Yes, of course, Mr. Weasley! Anything at all!" Ron finally got a taste of Harry's fame, and he noticed how annoying it could actually be. Obviously the Daily Prophet had been covering the story. 'Hopefully it wasn't Rita Skeeter,' he thought. 'Otherwise she'll have some story that Harry's had me locked up to have an affair with Hermione or something…' What would have made him laugh on normal emotions made him pale at the thought of Hermione, and he quickly drank the rest of his drink. He put down the money and headed over to the fireplace.
    " Thanks Tom," he said, then turned to the fireplace. " Bulgaria Notrune!"(the Diagon Alley of Bulgaria) he cried and stepped into the flames.
    He came out into a European looking café. Outside, the sun was just setting and the mountains could be seen starting at the edge of the town. Ron looked around at the people there and walked up to the bar.
    "Excuse me? Do you speak English?" he asked the man behind the bar.
    " Vell, not very vell, but I can try, yes?" he replied.
    " Okay, I only need to know one thing. Could you tell me where the train station is?"
    " Ah. Yes, that is easy. You simply go out the door and take seven steps to left. Go around the corner and there is a big building. Old. You haff to walk past that building and then take seven more steps down the street. Across the road there vill be the station. You meeting someone, yes?"
    " Yes. Thankyou," Ron said. He nodded at the man and then turned to walk out the door. But just as he opened it someone came in and Ron looked up. His face changed when he looked at the guy and did not look to happy to see him.
    " Ron! Ron Weasley, yes? Hermoninny's friend? Ahhhhh, how is she. I haff not seen her in quite a few years. I miss her very much, you also? You are staying in Bulgaria? Come, ve vill haff a drink! Catch up on things."
    Ron simply glared. Krum looked startled.
    " HER-MY-OH-NEE is fine, Vicky. In fact, I saw her today. I am staying at her apartment. I have no idea if she misses you, but shall I ask her since I am meeting her soon?" Ron said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
    " Hermoninny is here? Vell, I vill come vith you and see her, yes?" Krum, asked. Obviously English sarcasm wasn't something he had studied yet.
    " No, you vill not," said Ron and walked out the door, leaving Krum standing there wondering vat he had had to drink.
    Ron walked out and took " seven steps to the left". He thought that the city was a nice place to visit and that it was too bad Krum had to live in it. When he got to the train station it was dark and the train from London wasn't due to arrive until 5 o'clock. He looked around and saw a nice bench. He was going to transfigure it and then put an Invisibility Charm over it, but reaching into his pocket he realised that he had left his wand in the apartment in his hurry. Ron cursed silently to himself and grumpily lay on the bench.
    The hours passed slowly. Ron barely got much sleep, although the bench was better than the cell he had spent three years in. It was just that he kept on waking up to check his watch. Finally, at 4:30, he just got up and sat on the bench, waiting for the train. At five o'clock precisely, he saw the train come in. At five-oh-one, everyone seemed to get off the train at once. Ron was surrounded by people but managed to catch a glimpse of Hermione's head come out a compartment. He ran up to her and grabbed her elbow. She turned and looked very surprised that he was there. Ron knew he looked like Hell, and that wasn't exactly the way he wanted to look when he was apologizing to a very angry Hermione Granger. But then, she looked like Hell too… Another note to self.
    " Hey," he said.
    "Ron," she replied, nodding her head.
    " Don't go see him, Hermione," Ron said.
    " You don't think I should? Maybe I should go see Viktor," she said, not
    looking at him.
    " No! You can't! I mean, I don't want you to!" he cried. Ron realised he seemed to be getting nowhere in this discussion. This called for desperate measures. He looked around and jumped onto a bench.
    " Excuse me! Excuse me please! Can I have your attention?" he called to the
    crowd around him. Many people turned their heads and those that could understand English listened. He continued," Uh, my name is Ron, and I just recently came back home! I finally got to see the girl I love
    for the first time in three years, and she is the most beautiful, smartest,
    nicest wit- I mean, girl, in all of England! See her? She's standing there and I just wanted to let her know that I love her and that I'm sorry. That's really all I can say, and it's her decision as to whether she goes off to Bulgaria to see some prat that asked her to the Yule Ball in our fourth year before I could. I just wanted her to know that. I LOVE HERMIONE GRANGER," he concluded, and stepped off the bench to come over and stand beside Hermione.
    " Ron, I-," she said, looking around.
    "'Mione? I can't really say anything else other than I'm sorry and that I know we get into a lot of arguments but you're the most important thing to me and that if you leave I don't know what I'd do. And, I've never actually told you this, but I kind of like arguing with you," he admitted sheepishly, taking her hand.
    " Me too," she admitted.
    " I really am sorry."
    " I know."
    " Please don't leave. I love you..." Then, Hermione pulled him into a hug he
    didn't know she was capable of giving and cried into his shoulder.
    " I didn't want to leave! But I was so angry and I just thought that when you
    left, you weren't coming back and- and-" she ended there, her head buried in his
    shoulder.
    "I guv u btoo," she said.
    " What?" he said, looking down at her.
    " I love you too," she repeated, this time removing herself from his shirt. He grinned down at her.
    " Come on, let's go home," he said, picking up her bag.
    They walked out of the station completely oblivious to the people around them who were clapping.
    ~*~
    The song I used is one of Elton John's. It's called Sorry Seems to be the
    Hardest Word. It's better when he's singing it though. Read and Review!
    Any Bulgarians reading this, sorry if Bulgaria doesn't have mountains. It might be flat like the Netherlands (home, sweet home). I've never been to Bulgaria, but I took a guess that there were since Krum talks about mountains at Durmstrang… We'll just assume Durmstrang is in Bulgaria ( although I actually think it's in Russia). No offense meant.
    

  



	16. Quidditch Games and Babies

Sorry about that last chapter guys, I have no idea what happened in the formatting…. Hopefully it doesn't happen this time. Anyways, if you have any ideas of what should happen next, tell me cause I'm running out of ideas. Don't worry, Ron will still propose lol. Keep reviewing everybody, we're not even halfway to 100 yet! *tear* 

This chapter is dedicated to all the astronauts who died in the exploding of the Columbia. Also to all their families, friends, spouses, etc, etc. I feel so sorry for you. Even though people probably say I'm sorry a lot… I hope this is different. This is dedicated to you guys! 

~*~

Those next few weeks that Hermione and Ron spent living together were the happiest times Hermione had had in her life. Of course, they still argued, but never with such anger as they had before ( I'm a writer, sorry, not a miracle worker). Now they did it mostly for fun. Of course, they did other things for fun, but… well, I'll let you imagine it. 

Ron had been busy at the Ministry and soon life was back to normal. Ron went to the Ministry everyday and Hermione went off to the hospital. On weekends, they would go to Diagon Alley, play chess (although Ron always won) and once, but only once, Ron had taken Hermione flying.

This weekend came however and they had nothing planned. Hermione thought they could just stay at home and find something to do from there. The apartment did need cleaning after all… But Ron didn't take the idea too well.

" Cleaning!? Hermione! Come on, it's the weekend! We should do fun stuff on weekends! Besides, your apartment barely has one speck of dust in it! It is the cleanest place in all of London! You will not EVER find another apartment with so little need of a clean!"

" Honestly, Ron! Don't exaggerate so much! The hospital is MUCH cleaner than this," Hermione replied.

" You know what I meant," he grumbled. His voice softened and he said, hopefully, "Besides, I was kind of thinking of going to the Chudley Cannons' game."

" I think that's a great idea!" said Hermione, much to Ron's shock. " I haven't seen Ginny in AGES. You and Harry can go, and Ginny and I will go shopping or something."

"Ginny?" Ron said stupidly.

"Well, yes! I'm not just going to stay here while you're out having fun! Of course not! I'm going to have fun as well."

" Oh. Yeah. Right. But, 'Mione, the point was for US to go TOGETHER. I wasn't thinking of going with Harry, I just saw him last night." Hermione laughed.

" You wanted me to go to a Quidditch game? No. Uh-huh. No way. Absolutely not."

" But-" Ron said looking at her in a sad puppy dog type of way. Hermione took one look at him and her face softened.

"Alright, I'll go. But only if you admit that secretly, you've always liked Hogwarts, A History…. In writing, of course..." Ron gaped at her stupidly. Then, he closed his mouth angrily and opened it again.

"Fiiiiiiiiine. I'll do it," he said, defeated. Grabbing a piece of paper and a quill lying nearby, Ron wrote:

__

I, Ronald Weasley, son of Arthur and Molly Weasley, brother to Virginia Weasley, Frederick Weasley, George Weasley, Percival Weasley, Charles Weasley, and William Weasley, best friend to Harry Potter, The Boy who Lived, and dashingly handsome knight in armour to Hermione Granger, smartes witch in Britain, and soon to be godfather of Harry Potter and Virginia Weasley's second-born, admit that I have secretly always loved Hogwarts, A History. _I sign, this 5th day of March in my and Hermione's apartment._

Ronald Weasley

Hermione picked up the parchment, read it over and sighed, although she had a hard time not laughing at Ron's sense of humour. She smiled at him and proceeded to walk over to her bookshelf and take down the book. There, she glued the parchment in and put it back on the shelf. She turned to him, knowing what was coming next, and grinned.

"Alright, Ron. When is this Quidditch game going to start?"

" One hour. I think we should leave now, they have some GREAT pre-game stuff!" he said, almost out the door already. Hermione rolled her eyes behind his back and followed him out the door.

~*~

Five hours later.

" Hermione! Wasn't that game excellent! Did you see the time where the Seeker did the Wronksi Feint, and then the other team's Chaser flew over and then the..."

Hermione tuned out and unlocked the door. It was true, it had been a good game, but she had frozen to death and Ron kept on going over the play.  
"…and the Keeper flew out and then the Beater's bat…" Hermione smiled to herself and went to make mugs of hot chocolate. Ron meanwhile, headed into the living room and jumped onto the couch.

" Oy! Hermione! Do you want to watch a moving picture on the tevelishon with me?"

" You mean a movie and the television," she replied, appearing with two mugs of hot chocolate.

" Yeah, sure. That," Ron said, smiling at her. She handed him the mug of hot chocolate and sat down beside him.

" What would you like to watch?" she asked him, sort of dreading the type of choices he might make.

" Uhhh, what was the one about the airplane and the duck?" he asked.

" Top Gun?" Hermione guessed.

" Yeah, that one." Hermione smiled again at Ron's stupidity concerning Muggle things… he was too much like his dad. Hermione pulled out her wand and made the movie begin, taking a sip of hot chocolate.

" Hey 'Mione, I was just thinking. Someday, we can have our own Quidditch team," Ron said out of nowhere. Down went the hot chocolate a little too fast and Hermione choked. Ron and her had never really discussed marriage, even though they both knew that they both wanted to marry the other, and they had certainly NEVER talked about kids. Now, here was Ron, saying Hermione's exact thoughts out loud, and looking at her as if she was the prettiest person in the world.

"Uh… What do you mean?" Hermione said meekly.

" Well, you know. The Weasley curse and everything… I want a lot of kids, don't you?" he asked her, now embarassed as well. Hermione looked at him. Yes, yes she did. She wanted TONS. Especially if they were her and Ron's. But she couldn't say that.

"You're cute," she said instead, reaching up and touching his cheek. He took the hint and bent down to kiss her, but he ended it much too soon.

"I hate the word cute," he said, looking at her. Hermione snorted with laughter.

" Sorry. What would you prefer?"

"Dashingly handsome?" Ron said hopefully. Hermione leant in and whispered, " Yes, you're that too." Then he kissed her again, and they completely forgot about the movie and the outside world. That is, until an owl hit the window and angrily hit it with his beak. Hermione glanced at Ron and he wore the same confused look as her. Who would send an owl at this time?

Hermione opened the window and pulled the owl in. She recognised Harry's writing.

_Hermione and Ron. You're godchild is about to be born so would you please hurry up and get your ASSES OVER HERE!?_

Harry

Harry? Swearing? thought Hermione. But it looked that way, and she assumed he was just a little nervous. After all, he hadn't been there before. Harry had taken a little too much Sleeping Draught and nobody could wake him up until after the baby was born. Hermione realised that Ginny was having her baby, however and that they needed to go quickly for her to be with Ginny and for Ron to catch Harry when he fainted. That is, of course, assuming that Ron didn't faint first. Quickly,she turned to him with a big grin and said, " The baby's coming"


	17. The Watermelon'

Okay, another two chapters in one day! Woo-hoo! Actually, the only reason for this is because I had a brilliant idea for either a) a sequel, or b) another story. When I finished, you guys can tell me if you want a sequel, and if not, I will tell you where to find my other story (which hasn't been started yet). So I really want to get this story done, probably two or three more chapters plus an epilogue. I hope for it to be finished by the end of the week, and so you better start reviewing! If you have read this fic and not reviewed, SHAME ON YOU! No, I'm not that mad…. But give the authoress a little to keep going on please? 

One more thing. I realised that there have been many opportunities to get Ron to propose and that he hasn't yet, but he will! This is the point! To make you wait…. Hahahaha laughs evilly. Yes, call me evil, cruel, whatever, but as long as you say my story's good, it's okay with me. HAHA

Okay, I lied. Two more things. I also realised that the title to this story doesn't really fit. Yes, it did in the beginning, but the story hasn't gone at all the way planned, but I like it better this way. Not always Confusion, was it? Oh well, we'll just have to wait until the next one… Story, I mean. Well, Cheers! And enjoy!

~*~

Hermione and Ron Apparated as fast as possible to the hospital, where they quickly followed the signs to the Birthing Unit. Upon arrival (pardon the pun) they saw many red-headed people in the waiting room. The whole family was there, as well as all the offspring that wasn't at Hogwarts. It looked completely chaotic, and Hermione sympathised for the poor nurses that were trying to stop Fred and George from using magic to, shall we say, liven things up a little. Apparently, turning all the chairs into brightly coloured parrots was against the hospital rules. Hermione watched as their wives, Angelina laughing, and George's wife Erika embarassed, pulled them away and made them settle down. Ron was looking in horror at one of the nurses and soon ran behind Hermione. Hermione turned around and questioned him with her eyes.

" It's Fleur!" he whispered, trying to hide his 6 foot plus frame behind Hermione's 5'7 one. Hermione glanced and noticed she seemed to look ruffled for quite possibly the first time in her life. Obviously, she hadn't met all the Weasleys together in one room. She must be new since the other nurses would have been far used to the Weasleys being in the birthing centre.

One of the doors down the hall opened and Harry's head poked out of it. Relief washed over his face and he stepped out of the room, flew along the hall, and grabbed them both by the wrists.

" Thank God you're here," he told them and dragged them back to the room.

" Ginny's um, well, I didn't- I mean- Women who are delivering aren't very nice," he said, looking very shy indeed.

"Yes, well, Harry. Women who are delivering are in a lot of pain!" Hermione snapped back.

"Women who are PMS also aren't very nice," Ron muttered under his breath. Thankfully, only Harry heard him and for the first time, relaxed. 

They headed into the room where Ginny was looking very tired. She smiled sweetly at Hermione when she came in, however, but glared at Harry and Ron. Harry sent Ron a meaningful look.

" Hermione, I'm so glad you're here. Would you please come and show my darling husband Harry how he's supposed to act when his wife is delivering?" Ginny said. Hermione grinned and asked when the doctor was going to come to deliver. Ginny told her he would come in a few minutes.

" Here, Harry, come hold Ginny's other hand," said Hermione, grabbing the one on her side. Harry took the one with Ginny's rings and twirled one around. She looked at him and he kissed her on the forehead.

"You're beautiful, Gin," he said, hoping she would forgive him for the stupid things he'd said before.

"No, I most definitely am NOT! Women who are trying to push a watermelon out of them are most certainly NOT BEAUTIFUL!!!!!" she replied. Ron coughed slightly and Hermione glared at him. Harry sighed. Then, seeing Harry's face, Ginny looked sad as well and burst into tears. If Ron's eyes widened, Harry's beat his by far. Hermione looked completely unfazed. 

" Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry!" Ginny cried, trying to throw her arms around him but not quite being able to in the condition she was. So Harry kissed her cheek instead.

" It's okay Ginny. But I really hope you're not delivering a watermelon," he said, trying to lighten things up. Ginny smiled at him and squeezed his hand a little harder. Ron looked disgustedly at Hermione, but she simply looked blankly back. At that time, the doctor walked in and Ginny sighed in relief. The doctor said he was ready to go and the nurses went to Ginny's sides.

It was actually a quick delivery, and Ginny only swore twice. Hermione thought by the look on Harry's face she had broken more of Harry's fingers than the number of times she swore, however. But Harry had learned his lesson and decided that Ginny was probably in more pain than him, so he kept his mouth shut. Soon, Ron had fainted, Hermione had laughed, and a baby girl had been born. Ginny held her in her arms and looked down at her baby girl. Harry stood over them and Hermione looked at them both. They were the perfect picture of love, standing like that. Hermione wanted Ron to hold her now, but looking down on the ground beside her, smiled sadly at him. He was so pathetic… Hermione thought that Harry and Ginny and their baby, which Ginny had named upon first look Lily Arianna Potter, should have some time alone and so she levitated Ron and walked out into the hall, where she woke him up. Ron looked up at her from the floor and scowled, quite obviously because he had been a wimp and fainted. But he stood up, managed to un-scowl his face and asked the questions needed.

" What is it?"

"It's a girl," she replied.

"Her name is…"

"Lily Arianna Potter."

"Does she have Ginny's eyes or Harry's eyes?" he asked.

"Ron! All baby's eyes are blue! You can't tell yet!"

" Oh. Does she have red hair then?"

"Yes, actually…" Andre didn't… he looked exactly like Harry.

"Great! I'm an uncle again! This is going to be fun…" Ron had always been ecstatic about being an uncle to his many nieces and nephews.

Then Hermione took Ron's hand and they went to go tell the rest of the Weasleys about the baby.  



	18. Snow Falling Softly

Don't really have anything to say for this chapter…just that the end is near! And, oh yeah! Sorry the last chapter was short but…I didn't really need to write anything else. And sorry, but this one is probably going to be short as well. Very, very sorry, honestly. Keep reviewing! Adrianna Oh! I also have some new fics! They're short, but you'll love them anyway! Haha. Read those!

~*~

Hermione was standing in The Weasleys' living room, holding her godchild Lily. Lily was looking up at her and Hermione had one finger stuck inside Lily's death grip of a fist. Ron came over and she smiled at him.

"She's so adorable," said Hermione, sighing a little.

"And she has Weasley hair," said Ron proudly. Hermione snorted.

" Is that all you can say? Honestly! Not all Weasleys have to have red hair, you know. Look at Andre! He's still adorable and his hair is black!" argued Hermione.

"Yes, well. Andre isn't a pure- Weasley, is he?"

" No. But neither are you. Unless your mother and father are somehow-"

"My mum and dad are NOT related! Okay, okay, I get your point. But I still think you make a better Weasley if you have red hair," interrupted Ron. Hermione sighed again.

" You're impossible. I honestly hope that when we-" she stopped suddenly, realizing what she had just been about to say. She quickly looked away from Ron, but he kept looking at her, a faint smile on his lips. He knew what she was going to say, and he loved her for it. Then again, he loved her anyway. … 

They were there to celebrate Lily's baptism. It had been held in a church in Ottery St.Catchpole and they were now having a party hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Ron kissed Hermione on the cheek and smiled at her again.

"I'm stealing the baby," he said, taking Lily from Hermione's arms. Hermione grinned and held her out. Then, she went over and sat on the couch. Unfortunately, she sat on the couch BESIDE the twins. They looked at her, looked at how she was watching Ron, and grinned two identical grins. Hermione felt their grins on her and turned to them, praying they were in a grumpy mood.

"What?" she demanded.

"Oh, nothing," said Fred. George continued a conversation.

"Say, Fred, do you notice how good Ron is with Lily?"

"Why, I did. In fact, I also noticed how good he is with Hermione. I think that Ron is great with ALL kids! Don't you, Hermione?" Hermione sighed. Apparently they weren't.

" Um, well," she replied, blushing.

"I also noticed," Fred continued, "That Ickle Ronniekins has been staying at a certain Ms. Granger's house for a while."

"Miss? Is she still a miss?" asked George, in pretend shock.

"Well, yes, but I don't think that she will be for long…" said Fred, winking knowingly at Hermione. She rolled her eyes.

" Don't people usually get married when they decide to have kids?" asked George again.

" Okay, you guys! That's enough. Ron and I haven't decided to have kids! We haven't even decided to get married!" Hermione said, standing up and walking into the kitchen where Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were cooking dinner. Hermione grabbed a knife and stared to cut the vegetables. Ginny, Mrs. Weasley and her chattered until supper was ready. 

Dinner was, as always, total chaos. Outside, the snow was falling lightly, but it was beginning to get dark, and since Hermione and Ron needed to walk to the nearest Apparition point, they needed to leave then. Sad that they would miss the rest of the celebration, and the chance to ooh and ahh over Lily, they said their good-byes and Ginny and Hermione made plans to meet at Ginny and Harry's place the next day. Harry whispered something urgently to Ron, and he nodded once. Harry grinned, and clapped Ron on the shoulder. Soon they were ready to go.

Outside, Ron took her hand in his and Hermione smiled, content to just stay here forever. They chatted a little and soon they were almost at the top of Stoatshead Hill. Ron stopped and said, almost hoarsely," Do you want to stay here, a while? It's really nice out, isn't it?" Hermione agreed and Ron wiped the snow from a rock. Hermione made one of her famous fires near their feet and leaned against him, noticing how she fit so perfectly between his arm and body. They sat in silence for awhile, until Ron cleared his throat. 

" I love you Hermione," he said, looking into her eyes. He had said it many times before, but this time, there was something different in the way he said it. Something in the way he looked into her eyes. Something in the way he took her hand. Well, something about the way he said it made Hermione want to cry. She stared at him, and then realized he probably wanted an answer.

"I love you too, Ron," she whispered. 

" Good," was all he said. She could feel him shifting his position, and his hand left hers. But it returned soon, in front of her face, and Hermione stared at it. For in it, he was holding a ring. A white gold one, with a sapphire in the center. Was this-?

" Erm, Hermione…" Ron said. She turned her head up to look at him, and sat away so she could see his whole face. They stared at each other for a few seconds and then he cleared his throat.

" Hermione, will you- would you ever- I mean," he faltered. He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand on end. She loved it. 

" I don't think I can say it," he admitted. Hermione smiled and took the ring. Carefully, she put it on, and then gasped as Ron pulled her into the tightest hug he had ever given. They sat there, the snow falling gently, in the middle of the woods, holding each other.

" It's okay Ron, you don't need to," she said softly.

~*~

Yaaaaaayyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!! Okay, you guys, tell me whether you want a sequel or an Epilogue ( which will probably be them getting married) Then I will most definitely write it for you, since you have been such great fans. Cheers! Tell me what you want and read my other stories!


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